


In A Father's Eyes

by ReneeLaRoux



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Acceptance, Accepting Uther, Awkward Conversations, Best Friends, Budding Romance, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Gay, Kids, M/M, Nice Uther, Same-Sex Marriage, Sex Talk, Teenagers, The Talk, Young Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-27
Updated: 2018-12-27
Packaged: 2019-09-28 09:17:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17180210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReneeLaRoux/pseuds/ReneeLaRoux
Summary: An account of Arthur and Merlin's relationship, as told by Uther Pendragon.





	In A Father's Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> I just really wanted nice, accepting Uther for once. I've also written an alternative from Hunith's perspective, so if you're interested in that leave a comment!

    When Arthur was five he met Merlin Emrys for the first time. They were in the same class in school and instantly became best friends. They truly were inseparable, joined at the hip or hand or shoulder. They had playdates and sleepovers, attempted football lessons together (only Arthur showed real enthusiasm), and were always painting pictures or making “surprise” gifts for each other. Sometimes Uther even forgot he only had one child, with the frequency of Merlin’s visits. He assumed that their friendship would one day come to an end, as so many young relationships do. After all, Arthur had had several best friends over the years, and all of them had been forgotten when Merlin arrived. But then over supper one evening Arthur looked up at his father and said, 

    “I think I'm going to marry Merlin when I grow up.” 

    Uther’s fork hovered near his mouth for exactly ten seconds.

    “You're a little young to be thinking about marriage, aren't you?”

    “I'm not gonna marry him now!” Arthur giggled. “When we're grown ups.”

    “Why would you marry Merlin?”

    “So we can live together and watch movies and have a puppy named Kilgharrah!”

    “Wouldn’t you want to do that with a girl?” Arthur wrinkled his nose.

    “Ew, girls are weird! No, I want Merlin to be my wife.”

    Uther left it at that. Arthur was seven, after all.

-     -     -     -     -

    Arthur was twelve the first time Uther caught him sneaking his sheets into the laundry room. He was fresh out of the shower, dressed in his robe, when he passed his son in the hallway.

    “What happened?” Uther asked, drying his hair with a towel.

    “Uh, nothing! Nothing happened, just doing some cleaning!” Arthur had turned five shades of red as he tried to ball his sheets up even smaller.

    “At 7:30 on a Sunday morning?” Uther quirked an eyebrow. 

    “Yes! Just got that cleaning bug!”

    “Well then, don't let me stop you.” Uther stepped out of Arthur's way. “Your bathroom needs a good scrub down, while you're at it.”

    Uther tried to stifle his chuckle as Arthur bolted down the stairs.  _ So, it's begun _ , he thought with a sigh.

-     -     -     -     -

    Uther learned his lesson about giving his teenage son privacy when Arthur was 13. That was when Uther decided to gather the laundry hamper from his son’s room to start another load. Arthur's bedroom was a mess, as usual, and Uther stooped to pick up a discarded shirt off the floor. While he was bent over, something caught his eye. A large paper bag was sticking out from under the bed. Curious, Uther pulled it out and inspected it's contents. 

    Magazines. Two, to be exact. One was the traditional, girls-in-bikinis publication that one could find in every teenage boy’s possession. He had bought a few himself in his youth, so he couldn’t exactly fault his son. The second one gave Uther a real shock, however. It was full of men in various states of undress. One page had been earmarked;  _ Twinks Galore  _ read the headline. The men in these photos were younger, supposed to be school-aged boys. The largest image was of a thin, fair- skinned boy with shaggy black hair and deep blue eyes. He was curled around a more muscular boy with blond hair.  _ Merlin and Arthur,  _ Uther thought instantly. Was that what Arthur saw when he looked at this picture? When he marked the page to return to it? Heart racing slightly, Uther overturned the rest of the bag onto the bed. A bottle of unscented lotion and a package of tissues. Hearing a noise downstairs, Uther rushed to put everything back into the bag the way he found it, shoving it under Arthur’s bed once more. He took the laundry hamper and hurried downstairs, an odd feeling settling into his stomach. 

    It was time to have a talk with Arthur. But before he did, he had some serious research to do.

    By the time Arthur returned home from a day at Merlin’s house, Uther was armed with enough information to give his son a ten hour lecture on sex. He sat at the computer desk with some print-outs in front of him, mindlessly shuffling them. He was anxious to begin, having so much that he wanted to say to Arthur. His mind was swirling with how he would bring up Arthur’s possible sexual preferences, and how he would address his own ideas on homosexuality. But that all went out the window when Arthur bounded into Uther’s office with a huge grin on his face, his eyes bright and his cheeks slightly flushed. 

    “Dad!” He said as he slung an arm around Uther’s shoulder. “I finally showed Merlin that race car video game! He was terrible at first, but he really picked it up by the end!”

    Uther watched as his son excitedly shared about Merlin, reconsidering his plan as Arthur’s eyes lit up every time his best friend was mentioned.

    He waited until after dinner the following evening, when Arthur was finishing some homework in his room. 

    “There's something I'd like to talk to you about, Arthur,” Uther sat on the unmade bed beside Arthur's desk. He had a bag in his hands.

    “What's up, dad?” Arthur shut his biology textbook and turned to face the older man.

    “It's come to my attention that you're growing up, son. You're becoming a man, and it's time I share some things with you.”

    “Oh no, are you going to give me The Talk?” Arthur's eyes darted to a spot near Uther’s feet, his face already warming up.

    “Yes, I am. I'm sure you've heard all kinds of things already, but it's my job as your father to make sure you're safe and well informed.” Arthur sighed, but nodded. He looked like someone about to march into battle.

    “I already know how reproduction works,” he offered. “We learned that last week in Biology.”

    “Very well, then we will skip that part.”

    “What else is there?” Arthur was confused. Uther smiled and patted the spot beside him. Arthur reluctantly moved to sit next to him.

    “Arthur, there is so much more to sex than just how a baby is made. And there's so much more to sex than male-female penetration.” Arthur seemed to perk up at that. “The first thing you have to know is that sex is natural.  _ Wanting _ sex is natural. Feeling attracted to people is natural. It can feel really good, and it can also be a really special way of showing someone you love them.”

    Arthur fidgeted with the edge of his pillow.

    “Is there already someone that you're thinking of?” Arthur blushed and nodded. “Alright, then I hope you take what I say to heart. There's no need to be embarrassed, Arthur.”

    “I know, it's just....awkward.”

    “It's a little awkward for me too,” Uther admitted. “I promise I won't pry, but you can always come to me if you have questions or want to share something.”

    “Anything?”

    “Anything. There's nothing you could tell me that would make me love you less, Arthur.”

    “...okay,” Arthur gave him a small smile.

    “ Alright then,” Uther opened the bag on his lap. He placed between them a bottle of lube, a box of condoms, and a book called  _ The Great Sexclopedia.  _ “Let us begin.”

-     -     -     -     -

    Uther and Arthur's relationship really blossomed over the next year. Arthur was still shy when it came to divulging too much personal information, but he was more at ease around his father. Uther suspected that it had something to do with feeling like his father would accept him regardless of his preferences. He had yet to reveal who he had feelings for, though Uther had an idea, and their name started with M. 

    His suspicion was confirmed two weeks after Arthur's 14th birthday, when the boy himself burst into the house after school, sans Merlin, and stormed right upstairs, slamming his bedroom door shut.  _ How very unlike Arthur _ , Uther thought. He slowly climbed the stairs, giving his son enough time to punch a pillow a few times. He was  _ not  _ expecting to find Arthur sitting on the bed with Mr. Snuggles, his childhood teddy bear, clutched to his chest, tears streaming down his face.

    “Arthur!” Uther knelt in front of the boy and put a hand on his shoulder. “What happened?!”

    “He...he...he kissed her!” Arthur stuttered out, his face the very image of misery. 

    “Who kissed who?”

    “Merlin! He ki-ki-kissed Gwen behind the bleachers after school!”

    “Oh dear,” Uther moved to sit beside his son. He pulled Arthur into his arms and stroked his hair. “And you didn't want him to kiss Gwen?”

    “...I don't want him to kiss anyone…” Arthur whispered.  _ Anyone but me _ , Uther could hear the unspoken words loud and clear. “Why does it have to hurt so bad, dad?”

    “Oh, Arthur. I wish I knew,” Uther said, wanting more than anything to spare his only son the pain of heartbreak. He sat there holding Arthur until the younger fellow had cried himself to sleep. He gently arranged him more comfortably on the bed and tucked him in.

    He was making a note to call the school in the morning to keep Arthur home if he needed when the phone rang.  _ Emrys, Hunith. _

    “This is Uther,” he answered tiredly.

    “Mr. Pendragon?”

    “Merlin?”

    “Can I talk to Arthur, please?” Merlin's voice cracked a little. 

    “I'm afraid he isn't feeling well, Merlin.”

    “I know, it's my fault.” 

    “Merlin, don't say that…”

    “Can you give him a message for me? Tell him that I'm sorry. I didn't even really want to do it, I just needed to figure something out.”

    “And did you? Figure it out?”

    “Yeah, I think I did.”

    “That's good. I'll be sure to tell Arthur.”

    “Thanks, Mr. Pendragon. Good night.”

    “Good night, Merlin.”

    Setting the phone on its cradle, Uther sighed and glanced upstairs. After a minute’s debate, he decided to let Arthur sleep. Merlin's message could wait until morning.

-     -     -     -     -

    As it turned out, it took less than a day for Arthur and Merlin to mend their rift. And mend it, they did. Uther had made the decision to allow his son to stay home from school that day, knowing that the miserable boy needed some time to cope. Uther, however, still needed to go to work. He ended up coming home a little later than usual after a meeting ran long, and he slipped into the kitchen from the garage. He was about to call out for Arthur when he stepped into the living room and received the shock of his life.

    Arthur. And Merlin. Kissing. No, that was proper snogging. His son was definitely snogging his best friend. 

    The two teenagers sat on the sofa, oblivious to Uther’s presence. Merlin had Arthur’s jaw gently cupped in one hand, and Arthur had an arm wound around Merlin's slim waist. Their mouths were practically glued together, sloppy and inexperienced but passionate nonetheless. 

    Uther cleared his throat.

    The boys jumped apart so fast it was like they had been electrocuted. Red-faced and gasping for air, they looked up at him guiltily.

    “I see you boys sorted things out.”

    “Y-yeah,” Arthur blushed harder. “You could say that.” Merlin gave him a weak smile. Uther stood in silence for a moment, looking between the two. They fidgeted and squirmed under his scrutiny, obviously nervous about what he would do. Finally he said:

    “Good. Merlin, will you be staying for dinner?”

    “Um,” Merlin looked at Arthur with wide eyes. “Yes, please.”

    “I'm going to change, and then you boys can help me in the kitchen.”

    As he climbed the stairs he heard Arthur say,

    “I told you he would be cool with it.”

-     -     -     -     -

    Arthur and Merlin became an official item two weeks after their first kiss. Uther was the first to hear all about it, as Arthur “popped the question” over tea one afternoon while the boys did homework. Uther didn’t see what all the fuss was about, given the fact that they were already best friends and had been exclusive since the very beginning, but the grins on their faces when they called each other “my boyfriend” reminded Uther of when he was young and infatuated like they were.

    The years went by, and before Uther could even believe it, the boys were coming home from their first year at university. Uther thought for sure that living several hours apart would be the undoing of their relationship. How could it not? They had become vastly different people in the few years that they had been together. Arthur was athletic and popular and business minded, and Merlin was artsy and quiet and dreamed of becoming a teacher. Uther had experienced it himself - most people just didn’t keep in touch with their friends after uni, and long-distance relationships were hard to maintain. 

    Somehow, they proved him wrong. Arthur had just finished unpacking his suitcases for the summer when the doorbell rang. Uther heard rather than saw his son bound down the stairs to answer it.

    “Merlin!” Arthur cried.

    “Hello Arthur,” a deep voice replied. Uther peeked around the corner to see the two young men embracing.  _ They've grown _ , he thought. Arthur had become quite muscular, all broad shoulders and thick thighs, telltale signs of his time as Camelot University’s rugby captain. Merlin had also filled out a bit, but remained lean. His hair was cropped short, highlighting his sharp cheekbones and the beginnings of a beard. They made a handsome pair.

    They pulled apart just long enough to gaze into each other's eyes before leaning in for a tender kiss. They seemed to melt together, arms winding and hands roaming. When they finally broke apart, they smiled at each other for a long moment.

    “I missed you,” Merlin whispered. 

    “I missed you too,” Arthur nuzzled against his boyfriend's cheek. “So much.”

    Uther backed into the kitchen to give them some privacy. 

    “So, Merlin, have you settled on a major?” Uther asked over tea that afternoon. 

    “Oh, yes. I'm majoring in English. The plan is to finish this degree, get a postgraduate degree, and then teach college.”

    “Academia,” Uther nodded in appreciation. “Good, strong career choice.”

    Merlin smiled and took a sip of his earl grey, eyes turning back to Arthur. The young men gazed at each other in a way that made Uther acutely uncomfortable.

    “Oh, get a room, you two,” he downed the last of his green tea and stood. “Don't worry about the old man.”

    Arthur shot his father a grateful look before taking Merlin's hand and pulling him from the room. When Uther heard Arthur's bedroom door shut, he decided to go work in the garden for a bit while the two young lovers got reacquainted.

-     -     -     -     -

    Uther had been the first person they told when they became engaged. They had both just graduated from university and were enjoying a well-earned holiday in Ibiza. When they FaceTimed him, they were curled up on a hammock, the warm  Mediterranean sunset highlighting their golden glow. Uther himself was relaxing with a glass of merlot in his office when he answered his son's call.

    “Hi, dad,” Arthur grinned. He had Merlin's legs in his lap.

    “Hello there,” Uther replied, still a bit unsure of himself with the video chatting process. “How's Ibiza?”

    “It is paradise!” Merlin piped up, giving a stretch. “It's warm and sunny and we don't have to do anything!” Arthur laughed, carefree and joyful. The sound brought a smile to Uther’s lips.

   “Can you tell Merlin's glad for a break?” 

    Unlike Arthur, who had accepted the position Uther had offered him in the marketing department of Pendragon Inc., Merlin was going to be diving right back into his postgraduate education. He had been offered an assistantship that would help him pay the bills, as well as give him some teaching experience over the next two years. Arthur was just thrilled that Merlin had chosen a local university this time - there was already talk of them finding a flat together.

    “Actually, dad...there's something Merls and I want to share with you.” Arthur looked at Merlin and together they lifted something out of the neckline of their tank tops. Shiny gold bands hung from glinting silver chains.

    “Arthur proposed last night,” Merlin said shyly, giving Arthur a quick peck on the cheek. 

    “We wanted you to be the first to know about our engagement,” Arthur explained. “We'll be calling Hunith next.”

    “I'm speechless,” Uther admitted. “But incredibly pleased.”

    “Really?” Merlin asked hopefully, his voice suddenly very small.

    “Yes, really! Silly boy. I've watched you two literally grow up together, and time after time you have surprised me with the depth of your love for one another.” Uther couldn't help but laugh.

    “What's so funny?” 

    “I recall you, Arthur, declaring that you would one day marry Merlin. You were only seven, but you already knew he was going to be your ‘wife’.”

    “Oi, wife?” Merlin pretended to glare at Arthur, who was blushing red enough for Uther to see it. “You knew even then?”

    “You've always been my destiny, love,” Arthur squeezed his fiance’s hand. 

    And for the first time, Uther really believed it was true.

-     -     -     -     -

    The Emrys-Pendragon wedding was one for the ages. Uther had insisted on paying for the event, and Merlin and Arthur insisted on keeping it simple. Ceremony was held in the lovely gardens at a beautiful old library in town, and afternoon tea followed in the private hall. Just fifty of their closest family and friends were witnesses as Merlin walked down the aisle, arm-in-arm with his mother. Uther sat beside Hunith as the men exchanged the traditional vows, promising to love and honor and cherish each other in sickness and health. Uther may or may not have dabbed away an errant tear as Arthur slid the ring onto Merlin's finger and mouthed, “I adore you” to his new husband. 

    The reception was a simple, cheery event with plenty of tea and sandwiches and cupcakes. Arthur and Merlin shared their first dance as married couple to “You Are The Sunshine Of My Life.” When Stevie Wonder sang, ‘ _ I feel like this is the beginning / though I’ve loved you for a million years’,  _ Merlin leaned in to press the softest of kisses to Arthur’s cheeks, nose, brows, lips, and Uther had to suppress a sob that suddenly rose up within him. 

    His son was married. His son was married to a man he had loved since childhood, through ups and downs, through so many phases of their lives. It was the ultimate love story. Uther found himself once again wishing upon every star that his beloved Ygraine could have been here to witness this union. She would have been so proud of her son, and she would have loved Merlin so much. He felt a hand on his and looked up to see Hunith watching their sons, eyes sparkling with tears she was trying to contain. He squeezed her hand and did not attempt to stop the tears that escaped. 


End file.
